Moments Like This
by KaelynAnne
Summary: Important moments in the development of Parker and Eliot's relationship.
1. Comfort

Disclaimer: All characters are property of Dean Devlin.

Author's Note: The timeline of these one-shots jumps around a lot, but they are all connected. So effectively, they make one big story, it's just broken down into different stages.

Moments Like This: Chapter One

Eliot wasn't used to playing this role. He was the stoic one. The one that expressed himself through violence and cooking. He wasn't good with emotional scenes, especially when women were involved. And yet, now he was in a situation that he was always careful to avoid.

Parker was sitting on the couch, clearly upset about something, and he had no choice but to talk to her. It wasn't that he didn't like her, because he did, he was just never sure of what to say and usually ended up making things worse. But this time there was no out because Nate was out meeting with a client, Hardison was somewhere in the city trying to find the latest edition of some nerdy game, and Sophie…realization hit Eliot full force.

They all missed the grifter in their own way, particularly Nate, but Sophie and Parker had gotten close in the time they had worked together and Eliot knew that Sophie was the first real best friend Parker had ever had. Now she was gone and none of them knew if they would ever see her again.

"You okay, darlin'?" he asked as he made his way over to the couch.

She shook her head and laid her head on his shoulder, wrapping her arms around one of his. "I miss Sophie."

Her actions took him surprise since they were still in the beginning stages of a committed relationship, but he relaxed after a few seconds and let her lean into him a little more. "We all miss her."

"It's different for me. She was the first real friend I ever had."

He already knew this but he also knew that Parker didn't open up about her life before becoming part of a team very often and shutting her down would be one of the stupidest things he had ever done.

"She didn't look at me like everyone else does when I do something crazy. She made me feel normal. She helped me learn how to _be_ normal. I'm not sure if I can do that without her here."

"You don't need Sophie for that, Parker."

"I think a lot of people would disagree with that."

He sighed deeply and rested his cheek against her hair. "Sophie taught you the basics, you did the rest. You've changed and I'm not the only one who's noticed it. You're still fundamentally you, you've just learned to think before you do something outrageous."

She smiled and turned her face into his neck, breathing in the cologne that he always wore. "I think that's one of the nicest things you've ever said to me."

"Don't tell Hardison or Nate."

"Your reputation as the bad-ass of the team is safe."

He laughed, glad that the mood in the room was a little lighter and pressed a kiss into her hair. "Feel better now?"

"A little. I'm never going to stop missing her."

"None of us will, sweetheart. We're a family and when a family member leaves you don't just forget about them."

"I've never had a family before. All of this is new to me and sometimes it's a little scary."

He pulled away from her and cupped her chin, forcing her to look up at him. "I want you to listen to me, okay? I want you to listen and never forget this."

She nodded, her eyes wide as they connected with his. She'd never heard that particular tone of voice from him before and she couldn't place it, but she wasn't so sure she liked it. "Okay."

"I'll always be here for you. I don't care what happens or what crazy thing you do, I'll never leave. I need you to know that, Parker."

She nodded again as she laid her head back on his shoulder, overwhelmed by his promise. She'd never had anyone say them to her before and she knew that Eliot meant them but she wasn't sure what to do with them or what to say.

This was one of those situations that Sophie was an expert at handling and suddenly Parker missed her just a little bit more. This whole relationship thing with Eliot was confusing enough but everything he had just said made her feel completely out of comfortable territory.

As arms once again wound around his arm, his free hand came up and began stroking her hair, lulling her back into a comfortable as she contemplated the change in direction her life had taken over the last few months. All of their lives had changed really, but for Parker it was probably the most dramatic. Because now she had what she'd never had before. A family, a home that she stayed in for more than a few days at a time and a steady job. She had stability. And while it was still somewhat of an adjustment, she liked the way things were going. Especially this newest development with Eliot.

From the beginning their relationship had been the most volatile but now they were settling into a rhythm but things between them were never dull, especially when romance was thrown into the mix. Maybe they wouldn't make it as a couple, but they were friends first so they would be okay. No matter what happened, Eliot and Parker as friends would make it through and that was what led her to her latest revelation.

"I believe you."

Eliot smiled and pressed another kiss to into her hair. "Good. That's real good, darlin'."


	2. First Kiss

Disclaimer: All characters are property of Dean Devlin.

Moments Like This: Chapter Two

The first time they kiss it's not because they want to. The job they're working has gone sideways and the mark is looking suspiciously at Parker. Since Eliot is the closest, he has no choice but to step in.

As he makes his way over to her he can see her casting furtive glances around the room and he can only pray that she's not looking for some kind of sharp implement. He reaches her just as her eyes land on a recently sharpened knife and slides an arm around her waist. "There you are. I've been looking for you all night." Parker glares at him but doesn't say anything and Eliot is grateful. "You're not avoiding me, are you?"

"Actually, I am. I'm still angry with you." For once, she doesn't have to act. She's beyond pissed off that Eliot and the rest of the team still don't think she can handle herself in a situation like this. She tries to pull away from him but he tightens his grip on her and she curses at him under her breath.

Before Eliot can say anything else, the mark interferes and Eliot doesn't know whether to thank him or stab the man himself. Anything the moron says has the potential to set Parker off and blow their cover. "You two are together?"

"For the moment. But if he doesn't learn that I can handle myself that may change," Parker replies, her tone clipped as she continues to glare at the man holding her hostage.

She doesn't say the word she really means but Eliot hears it anyway. Trust. It's something she thought she had from all of them, especially him, but now she's second guessing herself and he wants to kick himself for that. He has to keep his cover and get them the hell out of there before this guy uses the two brain cells he's been given and figures out what they're up to. "Look, darlin', I know I said some things I shouldn't have but if we can talk—"

"I'm not talking about anything with you!" she hisses.

There it is. The opening Eliot needed and he takes full advantage. He turns to the mark and smiles apologetically, all the while making sure Parker doesn't have the chance to get away from him. "Will you excuse us?"

The guy smiles and both of them grit their teeth at the sight. He's not attractive to begin with and his so called smile isn't doing him any favors. "Certainly. I should make the rounds with the other guests anyway."

Eliot grabs Parker's hand and drags her outside and a good distance away from the mansion before she jerks away from and shoves him backwards.

"What the hell was that? I had the situation under control."

"Parker, I—"

She cuts him off, too angry to stay silent for long. "This is about that jackass in Belgrade, isn't it? That was almost a year ago, Eliot. I've made a lot of progress since then. I thought you guys could see that, but I guess I couldn't have been more wrong. You still don't trust me in a situation like that and I guess if I try really hard I can understand that, but you didn't even give me a chance back there. Why don't you just start leaving me at the office? I'd be as useful there as I was here tonight. Maybe I could—"

Parker never gets the chance to finish because Eliot is gripping her arms and pulling her roughly against his chest before his mouth descends on hers in a kiss that is anything but gentle.

At first it's just lips brushing against one another but then her mouth opens and his tongue sweeps greedily against hers, becoming familiar with her taste and exploring as much as he can.

And then just as quickly as it started, it was ending. Parker tore her mouth from his, breathing heavily. "What the hell was that?"

"It was the only thing I knew would get you to shut up." The next thing Eliot knows, his cheek is stinging and he can hear the click of Parker's high heels on the sidewalk as she walks away from him.

She's even more pissed off than she was just five minutes ago and he knows it's going to take a hell of a lot to calm her down. He just hopes that Sophie won't kill him first.


	3. Soft

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Dean Devlin.

Moments Like This: Chapter Three

The first time Parker saw a different side of Eliot they'd only been a team for a couple of months. They were in Seattle working a case and since there was nothing to do at the moment, Eliot had acted uncharacteristically and all but dragged her to the park. They hadn't been there very long when they both spotted the little boy sitting by himself on the swings. He was only nine or ten, but both of them could tell almost immediately that he was already too familiar with being alone.

They spotted the bruises at the same time and Parker heard Eliot growl seconds before she saw his blue eyes harden with rage. He had a better chance at connecting to the boy than she did, but he had to calm down first or nothing he said would help and he would only succeed in making things worse.

"Eliot, you have to calm down before you try anything."

"He's just a kid."

"I know. That's why you have to calm down. If he sees how pissed off you are, it's not going to help anything."

When he finally managed to get to the point that he didn't look like he wanted to kill someone Eliot made his way over to the boy, careful not to scare him. He knelt in front of the swing and started an easy conversation, even getting the boy to smile a couple of times.

Two hours later, they were back at the office and Eliot had just finished making lunch for Conner. As Conner hungrily devoured his meal, Eliot joined Parker in the living room and handed her a beer.

"You've been really great with him," she commented, choosing to play with the label on her bottle instead of drinking the beverage.

He shrugged and looked over his shoulder at Conner before turning his attention back to her. "I can relate."

"So can I, but that doesn't mean I'm good at connecting with people. I mean, I know you're good with people but you've never really shown patience for kids. It's surprising, but I'm impressed."

"He won't wind up like us, Parker."

She shook her head, pushing away the memories of her childhood. "How can you be so sure? He can't stay here forever and then he'll have to go back home."

"No, he won't. I made a couple of calls. His father's been taken care of and there's a family in Michigan that's willing to take Conner. They've got a son that's a couple of years older than him and a little girl who's five years younger."

"You've thought of everything, haven't you?"

"Pretty much."

"And you're sure his father won't be able to hurt him again?"

"He's safe. I made sure of that."

"Promise?"

Both adults turned to see Conner standing by the end of the couch, looking guilty for having eaves dropped on their conversation.

"Come here, buddy," Eliot said, patting the spot between himself and Parker.

Conner nodded and slowly moved from where he was standing to settle between Parker and Eliot. "Did I do something bad?"

"No, you didn't do anything bad. We just want to make sure that you're okay with everything that's happening," Parker assured him.

"What do you mean?"

"She means that a lot's happened today and we want to make sure that it's what you want. If you want to go back home then—"

Conner cut Eliot off abruptly. "NO! I don't ever want to go back to that place."

"You don't have to. This family I told you about is going to take good care of you. You'll be safe with them."

"I feel safe here."

"That's good. I hope you'll always feel that way when you're with us."

Conner yawned and leaned toward Eliot, resting his head on the older man's shoulder. "I'm tired."

"Go to sleep. We'll be here when you wake up."

When Conner's breathing had evened out, Eliot looked up and noticed Parker watching him with an expression that he couldn't identify. "What?"

"I've never seen this side of you before. It's nice. You should do it more often."

"I'll make a note of that."

"I'm serious. When you let your guard down, I like the person I see. He's kind and patient and sometimes I think he's the only person who understands me."

He smiled and reached across Conner, cupping her cheek. "I always understand you, sweetheart."


	4. Pain

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Dean Devlin.

Moments Like This: Chapter Four

Seeing Aimee again had been hard, there was no question about it, but he hadn't been prepared for the pain. Seeing her again, remembering the last time they had been together, remembering how he had felt after their final fight, the pain was almost overwhelming and for the first time since he was a kid, Eliot found himself on the verge of tears.

The job was finished and the rest of the team had gone back to the hotel but he had stayed behind at the tracks, watching a late afternoon training session. They'd all been concerned about him since he had been even more quiet than usual, that much had been obvious to him, but the pair of blue eyes watching him intensely as he'd assured that he would catch up with them later stayed with him. She had been doing that a lot lately and as little as three months ago, he would have been extremely annoyed by it. Now, however, he just found it endearing but couldn't help wondering why her latest hobby was watching him.

He sensed her presence before she spoke, but stayed quiet. He wasn't in the mood for any kind of conversation and part of him hoped that if the silence stretched on long enough she would leave again. But she surprised him again when she simply placed her hand on top of his.

She didn't say anything and both of them were quiet as they watched the horses circle the track. Finally, she spoke but it wasn't something tactless and Parker-like. "They're beautiful. I've never seen anything that graceful."

It was a neutral comment, one that didn't require a response and for that Eliot was grateful. Still, he found himself speaking and it wasn't out of force of habit. "The first time I rode a horse I was fifteen. The feeling is indescribable and nothing else matches it."

"I feel the same way when I'm repelling or when I'm on the zip line. It's the only time I feel free."

"How did you know I would be here?"

Parker shrugged, still looking out at the track. "I paid attention. No matter where we go, there always seems to be one place where you feel comfortable." She turned to look at him and was struck by how beautiful Eliot was, even in profile. Even when he was in pain. "I'm not as out of touch with reality as I seem, Eliot. I see things people think I don't. Like I can see how much this job has gotten to you, how much being around her again hurts you and I don't like it. I wish there was something I could do to help."

He turned his hand so that his palm was facing up and intertwined their fingers. "You are helping. Right now. Being here. Being Parker. You're helping." Eliot met her gaze and a little of the pain that had clouded his blue eyes since they'd arrived in Kentucky lifted.


	5. Fear

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Dean Devlin.

Moments Like This: Chapter Five

Eliot entered the office cautiously, unsure of what to expect after the way he'd treated Parker. He didn't know whether he would be blown up or yelled at and not knowing what to expect had put him on edge all weekend. So when he shut the door behind him and nothing happened he breathed a sigh of relief and made his way to the kitchen. He'd just poured a cup of coffee and turned to head to his office when he was confronted with a pissed off British woman. "Damn it, Sophie, don't sneak up on me like that."

And apparently that was the wrong thing to say, because her eyes hardened even further and before he could comprehend what was happening, there was a dull ache in the back of his head. "What the hell was that for?"

"Don't give me that innocent act. You know what you did."

"Sophie, look—"

"Don't you dare tell me this isn't any of my business, Eliot Spencer! When my best friend shows up at my door hysterical and confused and asking why no one trusts her then it damn well is my business. What were you thinking? Acting like she needed rescuing? Kissing her like that?"

"I wasn't thinking, okay? I just—I saw her eyeing that knife and my mind instantly replayed that scene in Belgrade."

"That was a year ago, Eliot! She's made a lot of progress since then, but now she's second guessing herself. You and I both know that she could have gotten out of there on her own. And why exactly did you kiss her?"

"I don't know. I was trying to get her to stop talking and that was the first thing that came to mind."

"It was stupid. You could have come up with something better. What's gotten into you lately, Eliot? It's like you're a completely different person where Parker is concerned."

Eliot didn't respond, just looked at Sophie and allowed her to see the raw emotion in his eyes. He was tired of hiding and Sophie was the best person on the team to be honest with. Of course, she was still pissed off and he was still a little afraid of what she would do in Parker's defense but he was willing to take his chances.

It didn't take Sophie long to put the pieces together and when she did, her entire demeanor. "You're in love with her. Why haven't you told her?"

"Because she's Parker and I'm me. We get along as teammates and I don't want to ruin that. Besides, the last time I was in a serious relationship it didn't end well and I don't want to go through that again." He let out a deep sigh and locked eyes with Sophie. "I love her." It was the first time he had said the words out loud and it didn't make them any less terrifying.

"You're afraid of being hurt again." His gaze never broke away from hers, just hardened with resolve and Sophie gave a sigh of her own. Sometimes Eliot's stubborn nature got him into more trouble than when their cover got blown a job. "If you don't want to tell her that's your choice, but you still need to talk to her. Let her know that you do trust her. Like you said, she's Parker and she doesn't pick up on things that other people would."

Eliot nodded and rewarded his teammate with a brief smile. "Thanks, Sophie."

"No problem." He was almost out of the room when she called out to him.

"Yeah?" He paused in the doorway and turned back to her.

"If I were you, I'd be incredibly cautious. You aren't exactly Parker's favorite person now."

And the fear he'd felt when Sophie had ambushed him was back tenfold. "Duly noted."


	6. Confusion

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Dean Devlin.

Author's Note: I'm glad so many of you like this story. Your reviews have inspired me to update more quickly, but this chapter is going to have to hold you guys for the weekend. I'll be out of town at a fiftieth wedding anniversary until Sunday.

Moments Like This: Chapter Six

Eliot breathed a sigh of relief when he opened the top drawer of his desk and nothing exploded or jumped out at him. When he'd opened the door to his office he had been greeted with a low-level shock. Two hours later, when he'd opened his weapons cabinet he'd gotten a double dose with a garden snake and an explosion of firecrackers. Despite the fact that he knew Parker was paying him back for his behavior three days earlier, Eliot couldn't help but smile. Most people would confront him, like Sophie had or put him in a similar situation, but Parker was different and that was part of the reason he'd fallen in love with her.

Of course, now she wasn't speaking to him and she would barely look at him but he deserved that. He'd spent the morning trying to think of the best way to apologize to her, but nothing would work if he couldn't get her alone with him. He pulled out the file he'd been looking for and began looking over it. He hadn't been looking over the information very long when he felt someone watching him. "Did I find all your surprises?"

"Why'd you do it, Eliot?"

"I wish I had an explanation that would clarify everything, but I don't. All I can do is apologize."

Parker shook her head as she slowly crossed the room, finally stopping in front of his desk. "I thought you trusted me. I mean, we'd been spending more time together and you were actually treating me like I was a normal person. But then you turn around and treat me like I'm a child and kiss me. Do you know what that did? Do you know how it made me feel?"

"Parker, I—"

"I'm still talking!" She didn't realize how loud she'd been until she heard the silence that followed. She had no problem getting angry and letting someone know when they'd been wrong, her childhood had left her no choice, but yelling at Eliot resonated as being wrong. She shook the feeling off and leveled him with an icy glare. "I'm not as clueless as everyone thinks I am. Or as socially inept. Do you really think I would have used that knife the second I spotted it? I was making sure that if the situation took a wrong turn, I had a way to protect myself. But for you to kiss me—it was out of line and it confused the hell out of me."

"I know and I'm really sorry. I just needed to think and figure out a way to get us somewhere safe. That guy was still suspicious and he could have followed us."

"And drawing attention to ourselves was the best way to throw him off? Come on, even I know better than that. It was sloppy, Eliot, and it left a lot of questions in its wake."

He raised an eyebrow as he closed the file, not wanting any distractions if this conversation was going to take a serious turn. He knew that he could always trust Sophie when he had something he didn't want to share with the rest of the team, but in this case she might have decided to play matchmaker and Eliot desperately hoped that wasn't the case. "What kind of questions?"

"I don't want to ask them right now." Her blue eyes softened, giving way to vulnerability. "I just—I don't want to be mad at you anymore. I don't want to be confused anymore."

He stood up and came around his desk, stopping just in front of her. "I'm sorry, Parker. I know what I did was stupid and a simply apology doesn't really cut it, but it's all I've got. I didn't mean to hurt you or confuse you."

She smiled as a single tear made its way down her cheek and threw her arms around his neck. "I forgive you."

Eliot closed his eyes and held onto her tightly, savoring the feeling of her warm body pressed against his. Parker might not have been so confused anymore, but he sure as hell was.


	7. Sickness

Disclaimer: All characters are property of Dean Devlin.

Author's Note: Sorry for the delay, Monday kicked off mid-term week and this is really the first chance I've had to write. Now that I can relax a little, there should be new chapter up every day or every other day.

Moments Like This: Chapter Seven

A loud sneeze echoed through the nearly deserted offices and Eliot looked up from the newspaper in surprise. He'd thought he was the first one to get to the office that morning, but apparently he'd been wrong. He turned back toward the living room just as a blonde head appeared over the back of the couch. "Parker?"

The look she shot him was anything but friendly. "No, it's Sophie."

"Did you go home at all yesterday?"

She shook her head miserably. "I was too tired to get off the couch."

"Sweetheart, why didn't you call me? I would have picked you up."

She sneezed then whimpered softly when the pounding in her head increased. "Phone's too far away."

He couldn't help smiling at that as he moved from the kitchen to the living room and sat down beside her. "Have you taken anything?"

"Tylenol," she murmured tiredly, her eyes heavy-lidded. She'd slept some last night but had kept waking herself up, coughing incessantly. Finally, she had given up and resorted to reading the magazines that Sophie always left lying around. "Didn't help."

"Have you had anything to eat or drink?"

"Not since yesterday morning."

"Parker, you can't do that," he scolded lightly.

"No. No food. Please, Eliot. Just the thought of it…" she trailed off and pressed a hand to here stomach.

"Okay, but you need to drink something."

"No."

"Look, I know that's the last thing you want to do right now, but you need to stay hydrated. You'll get over whatever you've got faster and if you don't drink something soon you'll end up in the hospital."

"Fine."

"I'll be right back."

Parker let her head fall against the back of the couch and closed her eyes as she listened to him move around in the kitchen. Normally she hated having someone fuss over her, but right now she felt so bad she wasn't going to complain.

"Parker."

"Go away," she murmured groggily.

"Parker, come on, wake up. Drink this."

She forced her eyes open and looked at him warily. "What is it?"

"It's water."

She took the bottle from Eliot and swallowed several small sips. Despite her protests, the cool liquid felt good as it soothed her raw throat. "Thank you."

"Do you think you can sleep now?"

She nodded and shifted so that she was leaning against then laid her head on his shoulder. "Will you stay with me?" In her mind, it was a childish request, but with the warmth of his body, the smell of his cologne and the way he was stroking her hair, she found herself drifting to sleep for the first time in thirty-six hours.

"I'm not going anywhere, darlin'," he assured her.

Satisfied, she snuggled closer to him and allowed her eyes to close all the way. She hated being sick, hated how weak it made her, but being taken care of by Eliot and having him hold her like this made her forget how miserable she'd been just forty-five minutes earlier.


	8. Rebound

Disclaimer: All characters are property of Dean Devlin.

Author's Note: I'm sorry that it's been so long since I've updated this story, but I plan on updating it once a day until it's finished and then starting a new Parker/Eliot story.

Moments Like This: Chapter Eight

"Eliot!"

Three of the four people who stood in the yard a few feet back from Eliot were thoroughly surprised when he easily swept the nine-year-old boy into his arms. "Hey, buddy, it's good to see you again."

"You, too. I missed you and Parker."

Parker took that as her cue and stepped forward, into Conner's line of vision. "Hey, Conner."

"Parker, you came, too."

She smiled and barely hesitated when the little boy wriggled out of Eliot's arms and hugged her. "Of course I did. I told you I'd come see you, didn't I?"

"Yes."

Sophie, Nate and Hardison, who were by this point stunned speechless, quietly moved away from their teammates and made their way to another part of the park.

Eliot, who had seen them go, moved closer to Parker and slid an arm around her waist. He was silently pleased that Parker had been able to surprise their team and he was damn proud of her for not flinching away from personal contact. His girl was full of surprises and that was one of the things he loved most about her. He felt someone lightly squeeze his hand and looked down at Parker as she continued to talk with Conner.

"I love it here. It's so much better than when I lived with my dad."

"So they're treating you good?" Parker questioned.

"Better than good. I just wish I could see you guys more."

"Con, we'll come visit as much as we can and you can call us anytime. It doesn't matter what time it is, we'll always answer," Eliot assured him.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"Okay."

And in that second Eliot found himself amazed at the resiliency that children seemed to have. As long as they were happy and felt safe and loved they could rebound from anything and he'd never been more grateful for that than he was in that moment. He and Parker had never been given a second chance at childhood and that was why he'd been so determined that Conner would get one.


	9. Jealousy

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Dean Devlin.

Moments Like This: Chapter Nine

Eliot glared at the bartender as he flirted with Parker. Who did that guy think he was? Of course it didn't help that Parker was, well Parker, and unknowingly encouraging the guy. Verbal flirting, although it annoyed him, was fine, but if the guy even thought about touching _his_ Parker he was going to...

"No murder in a public place, Eliot," Sophie admonished lightly as she joined him at the table their team had claimed for the night.

"How did you know what I was thinking?"

"It's written all over your face." When Eliot didn't reply, she couldn't help smiling. Parker and Eliot had been close almost from the beginning and now that Sophie was aware of Eliot's feelings for their resident thief she was much more observant of all the little things he did for the blonde. "She still doesn't know, does she?"

"Why would I tell her? She's still pissed at me for kissing her."

"Yeah, that was really stupid of you."

"Thank you for pointing that out again."

"Seriously, Eliot, you should tell her. She might be more receptive than you think and it's better than sitting here acting like–"

"Acting like what?" he questioned sharply.

"Like a jealous boyfriend." He growled but there was no threat behind the sound and Sophie placed a hand on his arm. "If you don't tell her you'll have to face more situations like this and sooner or later someone else is going to notice that your jealous of all the male attention Parker gets."

"I'm not jealous."

"Really? What would you do if I told you the bartender had his hand on Parker's arm right now?"

Eliot growled again and this time it wasn't nearly as complacent. "Rip his arms off."

Sophie smiled and squeezed his arm. "Go do something about it. Nicely."


	10. Tears

Disclaimer: All characters are property of Dean Devlin.

Moments Like This: Chapter Ten

In the two and a half years that they had worked together, Parker had never once seen Eliot Spencer cry or even look like he was close to crying. But now was a completely different story.

Now, he'd made his way to the roof and he was visibly crying. It hurt Parker to see him like this, but she wasn't sure what to do. Eliot wasn't big on sharing his emotions and in the rare moments when he did, he preferred to keep to himself. He would often disappear for a couple days and then return to the office, acting like everything was fine.

He hadn't done that this time. Sure, he'd put some physical and emotional distance between him and his team, but he'd only gone up to the roof. He hadn't taken off to God only knew where this time. Parker didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing. At this moment, though, she honestly didn't care. All she cared about was Eliot. And right now, Eliot was hurting.

She took a deep breath and crossed the roof, not stopping until she had settled against his side and wrapped her arms around him. She felt him relax after several moments and drop a kiss into her blonde hair.

He didn't say anything, just held her as tears continued to slide down his face. She didn't say anything either, knowing that we would talk when he was ready and that pushing him would only shut him down further.


	11. Death

Disclaimer: All characters are property of Dean Devlin.

Moments Like This: Chapter Eleven

Parker silently crossed the room and settled beside Eliot on the bed, looking at the picture he held as she rested her head on his shoulder. "Who are they?"

"My brother, his wife, and their three kids. The middle child, Ryan, just died of leukemia."

Unsure of what to say and knowing that Eliot needed to talk, Parker simply snuggled closer to him and waited until he felt comfortable enough to talk.

"I deal with death all the time. Not always directly, but I've gotten used to it. This is different. It's personal and I don't–" Eliot cut himself off. He hated this feeling. He hated being out of control and feeling so helpless.

Parker, sensing his mood, leaned up and pressed a kiss to his cheek then settled back against his side, silently sharing in his pain.


	12. Telephone

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Dean Devlin.

Moments Like This: Chapter Twelve

Eliot had just let himself into the apartment he and Parker shared when the phone started ringing. He tossed his keys onto the table in the entry hall then jogged into the living room and picked up the receiver. "Hello?"

"Hi, Eliot."

He hated the sadness and defeat he heard in his sister-in-law's voice as much as he hated the way his brother had sounded when he'd called two days earlier. "Hey, Sarah. How are you doing?"

"Honestly, right now I'm numb. I just called to let you know that the funeral is Saturday at one."

"Okay. Parker and I are flying out tomorrow. Is there anything you need us to bring?"

"No. Right now we're just dealing with all the logistical stuff."

"All right. I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Bye, Eliot."

"Bye, sweetheart."


	13. Touch

Disclaimer: All characters are property of Dean Devlin.

Moments Like This: Chapter Thirteen

Parker sighed quietly when she entered the kitchen and saw Eliot sharpening knives. She hated when he got like this. When he withdrew and shut down, resorting to menial tasks as a way of coping. She crossed the room and placed a hand on his arm, desperately hoping that he wouldn't push her away.

Eliot stilled when he felt the warmth of her small hand and after several moments he put down the knife and sharpener. He turned and pulled her roughly into his arms, grateful that he had her to keep him grounded. Parker's touch always had that effect on him and it was one of the things he loved most about her.


	14. Hell

Disclaimer: All characters that you recognize are property of Dean Devlin. The others are my creations.

Moments Like This: Chapter Fourteen

"Parker, what are you doin' up here, darlin'?" Eliot asked as he paused in the doorway of his niece's room.

"I never had a room like this. After my parents died, I was bounced from foster home to foster home, each one worse than the last. I never had a princess bed or a bookcase filled with books or a closet full of beautiful clothes. Even the walls are pink." Parker laughed bitterly as she wiped her tears away. "Listen to me. I'm jealous of a three-year-old."

Eliot crossed the room and wrapped his arms around her from behind. "You never talk about your past."

"I grew up in hell, Eliot. I have almost no happy memories from my childhood. Being here, seeing how loved and adored Gina is, seeing what I have had, it–" Parker cut herself off. "I'm sorry. This is supposed to be about you and your family, not me."

"Hey." Eliot turned her so that she was facing him and tipped her head up. "It doesn't matter where we are. If you need to talk, I'll listen." When she opened her mouth to protest, he quieted her with a kiss. "You're not in hell anymore, Parker."


	15. Smile

Disclaimer: All characters are property of Dean Devlin.

Moments Like This: Chapter Fifteen

"So that's Parker?" Dylan asked as he handed his brother a beer.

Eliot nodded as they watched Parker and Sarah help the kids build a sand castle. Parker had been surprisingly good at blending into the domestic scene since they'd gotten to Raleigh. "That's Parker."

"I like her. She's unique, but she's good for you."

Eliot laughed as he took a swig of beer. "You known her for two days."

"I only needed a few hours," Dylan admitted. He looked from his family to Eliot. "Watching the two of you together says more than any conversation ever could. She gets you. She knows when you need her to stay close and when to stay in the background. More than that, she makes you smile and that's not an easy thing to do."

"Are you done, man?" I think I've got a couple new cavities."

"Yeah, yeah. I'm done."

Eliot took another swig of beer then turned his attention back to Parker." Thank you."

Most people would have been confused by the sentiment, but Dylan knew that his brother was referring to Dylan's acceptance of Parker. "I should be thanking Parker. She brought you back to us."


	16. Devotion

Disclaimer: Characters that you recognize belong to Dean Devlin, all others are mine.

Moments Like This: Chapter Sixteen

"You're not used to this type of environment, are you?" Sarah asked as she and Parker rinsed dishes then loaded the dishwasher.

"Am I that obvious?"

Sarah smiled reassuringly at the younger woman. "You've done a good job of hiding it, but I can tell there are moments where you're uncomfortable and aren't quite sure what to do."

"How much has Eliot told you?" Parker asked as she rinsed a plate.

"Not much. Eliot's not big on talking. He just said that you hadn't had a typical childhood," Sarah replied as she took the plate from Parker and put it in the dishwasher.

"I grew up in the foster system. Most of the families I was placed with were the worst of the worst so I never got to experience this."

"It seems like you've done a good job of overcoming that."

Parker laughed as she picked up one of Gina's sippy cups and admired the Minnie Mouse design. "Most of that happened after I met Eliot and the rest of our team. They gave me stability and taught me how to trust."

"I think you've done the same for Eliot. For so long, he was devoted only to his job and then that started changing. When h started mentioning you, I was pretty sure the object of his devotion had shifted and now that I've seen the two of you together I know I was right."

Parker smiled slightly as she handed the sippy cup to Sarah. "It goes both ways. Eliot's changed me as much I've changed him."


End file.
